On Hunting
Tags: turkey hunt, wild turkey.
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I forgot to mention this earlier, but last Saturday I went on my very first wild turkey hunt. It actually wasn’t just my first wild turkey hunt, it my first experience hunting anything. I went with my future father-in-law around 4:50 am. About 15 minutes in we heard a turkey roosting up in a tree about 25 yards away. He gobbled off and on for about an hour. Finally, at about 6:05 am he pitched down, and in a manner of seconds I took my safety off and shot. Got him right in the neck.
Here is me with my game after my successful first hunt:
My turkey weighed in at 20.02 lbs., had 27/32″ spurs, and a 10″ beard.
So, as a new hunter, I’d love to hear from other hunters who visit Blogs For Victory. What do you hunt? How long have you hunted? Any tips for a new hunter like me? I know my first hunting experience was easier than maybe most are, so I’d love to hear about some of your own.
Thank you for visiting Blogs For Victory. If you enjoy our content, please consider making a donation to help us cover the costs of our servers.Matt Margolis is co-author (with Mark Noonan) of Caucus of Corruption: The Truth About The New Democratic Majority. He also blogs at The Buffalo Bean. Follow Matt on Twitter.
17 Responses to “On Hunting”
Caucus of Corruption
Thank goodness your aim was steady and true, Matt, and you took out the turkey and not you future father-in-law.
Congrats!!!
Nice shootin Matt. Please tell me you are going to eat that beautiful bird?
Matt
just do not hunt with cheney………….good shot WOW!
Bloch, of course! It was mighty tasty… Still got plenty left in my freezer.
Fmrmarine, better to hunt with Cheney than drive with a Kennedy!
MATT
LOL
got me on that one ROTFLMAO!!!!!
Congrats…. nice bird. We have lots of wild turkeys here. They like to nest in my trees. The only thing I shoot now are pheasants. I occasionally shoot snows as thousands land in the fields since we are on the flyway. The perks of living next to corn fields.
congrats matt.
hunters & fishers (sic) are conservationists thru effective game mgmt & fees which support natural resources.
conservation is a true conservative principle & is an area the gop would be wise to better develop.
really cute…some sodomite that lives under a bridge in san francisco acting like he is from ohio paying lip serivce to what the gop should be doing…
take it under advisement….dont listen to lip service from idiots and sodomites…period…
i remember my first time hunting matt…
we were clearing the corn fields of rabbits…we get 2 dogs and 2 handlers…and the rest of us stand ont he other side of the field…the handlers start running into the field toward us making a rucus…and when the rabbits come running our…we have to shoot them…
the farmers gave us $1 per rabbit back then…and all the rabbit meat we could haul off….the rest we buried….
js02 says: May 8th, 2009 at 9:26 am
the lies about me always come back 2 haunt u & fmr.
stick w what u know like obama aint a citizen.
ur spot on there…u betcha!
lies…what lies…you are about as clueless as a plug nickel…
js02: just to let you know that your posting re: Obama’s college transcripts is a fraud perpetrated by a left wing site under the ficticious name of Americans for Freedom of Information. These left wing loons also forged the ipanews org site. These loons are internet terrorists who have nothing better to do than make serious researchers into their Chump For The Day. IPA is furious with them. You can contact Bryan at the IPA site.
Hey, Congratulations, Matt!
You got ya one! That’s great!
I got my first back in the early 90s, and have gotten my limit of 2 every year except for maybe 2 or 3 years.
I got my first one this year a couple days ago, on May 6, three days after you got yours. There’s a couple more weeks left in the season, so I hope to get another one before it goes out.
I’ve have gotten just about everything – deer (both bow and gun), turkey, squirrels, grouse (jumping without dogs), Raccoon (dogs and traps), coyote (trap), bobcat (traps), Skunk (dogs and traps), Opossum (dogs and traps), weasel (traps), Fox (traps).
The only thing I haven’t gotten yet is a bear, which I intend to be top of the list this coming fall hunting season.
As for tips on turkey hunting – the main thing, remain very still, as the wild turkey has very good eye-sight, better than an eagle. I have learned the hard-way, many times.
Also, when calling to toms, I always call from along the ridge-top, as they don’t like to go down, they like to walk up to the calling.
And be careful to watch your back as you call the turkey in, the best you can without spooking the turkey, as you will some times, call in a bobcat or coyote and get attacked.
It’s much better to hunt turkey without feed, well, it’s illegal down here, but I find it a lot more challenging and sportsman like, not only that, but it allows you opportunity to hear different birds and be able to cover a lot more ground which provides good exercise and breathing the fresh mountain air as you look for tracks and sign i,e. droppings.
I’m going to try and make this next one short, as it is coming a storm…
On deer, bow hunting is the way to go. One of the most thrilling hunts of a lifetime.
Ok, catch you later … it’s coming a terrible storm.
Matt,
Beautifal turkey gobbler you got there. I have yet to get one this year but I’m working on it. Jeremiah and I plan to go out again this week, it’s my turn this time, he’s already gotten his, ha ha.
I’ve hunted quite a few years with Jeremiah, both hunting turkeys, deer, racoons, and other game species. I’ve also helped him trap quite a bit, and have learned a lot from his Woods Wisdom.
Turkey hunting is one of my favorite hunting seasons. They are by far the craftiest of animals I’ve ever encountered. The old Toms will circle you and use the brush to their advantage. Last week, a bird came in within rock throwing distance of Jeremiah and myself, you could literally hear the exhalation of wind from his gullet every time he gobbled. But it was foggy, and you couldn’t see past twenty yards. The bird stayed behind thick clumps of grape-vines and multi-flora rose, and we never got a chance to see him. I had the gun trained on the brush, ready to shoot, but the next time he gobbled he had already put about 80 yards between us. Turkeys have keen senses, but most of all, VERY good eye-sight. They can spot something out of place or abnormal movements before you ever see them.
Apparently, he knew he had the upper hand (with the fog and all) and cased the situation well enough to where he just wasn’t comfortable searching further for the hen he thought he had. I was dissappointed, but had a blast knowing we got the old Tom that close.
Take note on Jeremiah’s advice, he won’t steer you wrong in the field of hunting. He’s one of the best hunters I know. And I know I may be biased, but his trophies back it up. He’s killed Turkeys with 10-12″ beards and 2″ spurs. Bucks with 20″ spread antlers. Bobcats that weighed 20-25 lbs. And coyotes that went 50 lbs. He’s a persistant hunter and has learned through years of experience. He knows wildlife very well, he lives in the woods ninety percent of the time. I hope someday to be as good as he is.
A big congratulations on that bird, he’s a dandy for sure. If you happen to go for anymore, fill us in on the details. Look forward to hearing them. And good luck on filling that second tag, hope you can get another.
Huntin’s a great thing. I ain’t no gun nut, but there’s nothing like a good day in the woods with a loaded rifle between a deer and my head. Though one day, the rifle wasn’t pointed the right way…
Huntin’ turkeys huh. And then you’re going to eat it? Isn’t that cannibalism? Just joking. It was just kind of hanging there like that 10″ beard. Anyway, I’m not a hunter. I like fishing. We see a lot of turkeys on the river. However, most of them are hens. Enjoy that turkey, Matt.
Have you ever done this?